Tahini, the traditional way

While some traditions are fading with time, others are reborn. Tahini production, the sticky paste of the crushed sesame seed, is seeing a resurgence in some parts of Bulgaria. While it would seem likely this type of industry would be undertaken by modern crushers and roasters, that is not the case in Ivaylovgrad. Artisans using hyper traditional techniques, with the exclusion of literal horse power, have taken old family traditions from the villages and saved them through commerce. This tahini is dark and golden, first soaked to remove foreign objects and then roasted. A massive apparatus, a combination of a wine press and flour mill, churns out smooth oily tahini goodness. The flavor is not bitter or overbearing, but creamy and luscious.